Eastern cicada killer wasps are rather large flying insects that are destructive to grass lawns because of their habit of burrowing into the earth. A female eastern cicada killer wasp produces an array of offspring. The offspring rapidly multiply and produce hundreds of burrows in the ground. Also, eastern cicada killer wasps have a tendency to return to their place of birth, thus increasing the wasp population.
In the past, the problem of controlling the population of eastern cicada killer wasps was addressed by attacking the wasps with swatting devices, chemical sprays, toxic chemicals and the like. When toxic chemicals are poured down the openings of the underground burrows that are present on home lawns, they become a threat to humans and pets who use the lawns for recreation and the like. Even if the humans or pets do not come into direct contact with the toxic chemicals, they can be vulnerable to toxic vapors emanating from the underground burrows. There is a need for a safe, non-toxic, convenient method for controlling or eliminating the disturbing pest.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0139151 (Cwiklinski et al) relates to a method for catching woodland, garden, and agricultural insect pests. The method includes providing a trap wherein the trap includes a catching part, a container for storing the captured pests, and a separating device for separating the captured insect pests from water and small debris. The separating device is placed on a movement path of the captured pests, which extends from an outlet opening of the catching part to the container. The separating device includes a mesh, the mesh being adapted to let water pass therethrough while insect pests do not pass therethrough and are thus separated by the mesh from water and small debris. The trap is hung with a bottom of the container for storing the caught pests being in a horizontal position, so that water entering the trap does not enter into the container storing the captured pests.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0043275 (Battick) discloses a device for entrapping crawling insects, The device includes an elongated strip, including a first wall propagating along the strip and having a front surface and a back surface; and at least one second wall, the second wall disposed on the front surface and forming with the first wall a cavity propagating along the strip. An insect-immobilizing substance is disposed in the cavity.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0293342 (Winkler) discloses an insect trap which includes a durable housing formed from a single plastic sheet, wherein the housing is configured to include a flappable hook. The trap further includes an enclosure having two open ends, wherein the enclosure includes a plurality of surfaces. The trap further includes at least one insect trap liner, wherein the insect trap liner releasably attaches to at least one of the plurality of surfaces.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0183419 (Harris) discloses an insect catching device including a tapered, truncated, hollow body having a non-drying glue substantially covering an interior surface of the body.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0157506 (Sadovski et al) relates to a barrier for protecting against the penetration of pests, wherein a sticky material is incorporated in the barrier.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0020104 (Feldhege et al) relates to a device for catching flying insects. The device includes a planar support and a fastening device. The support has a first surface (upper side) and a second surface (lower side), characterized in that at least one of the surfaces has a layer containing a substance which attracts insects and/or to which insects stick.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,625,922 (Ernsberger) relates to an insect trap for luring and retaining insects therein, the insect trap including a hollow housing having at least one opening therein. A hollow and enclosed cartridge member is totally positioned within the housing. The trap has at least one opening therein positionally aligned with the at least one opening of the housing so that insects may pass first directly through the opening of the housing prior to entering into any opening in the cartridge member; and then into the opening of the cartridge member. The trap further includes luring and retaining means positioned within the cartridge member for luring and retaining insects within the cartridge member.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,669,362 (Cwiklinski et al) relates to a trap for catching woodland, garden, and agricultural insect pests. The trap includes a catching part with an outlet opening, and a container for storing caught pests. The trap further includes a device for separating the captured pests from water and small debris. The device is placed on a movement path extending from the outlet opening of the catching part to the container. The shape of the device is that of a funnel having a funnel inlet covered up by a mesh and a funnel outlet situated outside of the container so that water and small debris may flow out of the funnel outlet and wherein the funnel inlet is placed between the outlet opening of the catching part and the container. The funnel is truncated diagonally so that the pests, which have fallen into the container, slide down the mesh covering, through the funnel inlet and fall into a chamber.
The references described above, when taken either alone or in combination, fail to anticipate the present invention as described and claimed herein below. There remains a need for a safe, environmentally friendly and effective trap for containing eastern cicada killer wasps.